- FSN Chicago
Infobox TV channel
name = FSN Chicago
logofile = FSN Chicago (2004-2006) logo.png
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logoalt = FSN Chicago logo from 2004–2006
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launch = 1982 (as Sportsvision Chicago)
closed date = 2006
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network =SportsChannel America (1987-97)
Fox Sports Net (1997-2006)
owner =Jerry Reinsdorf &Eddie Einhorn (1982-87)
Cablevision (1987-2006)
News Corporation (partial ownership, 1997-2005)
slogan =
country =United States
broadcast area =Chicago metropolitan area via cable, nationwide via satellite
headquarters =Chicago, Illinois (general offices)
Bethpage, New York (master control)
former names = Sportsvision Chicago (1982-89)
SportsChannel Chicago (1989-97)
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replaced by names = Comcast SportsNet Chicago
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online chan 1 =Fox Sports Net Chicago was a
regional sports network based inChicago, Illinois . The network carried theChicago Cubs , theChicago White Sox , theChicago Blackhawks , theChicago Bulls , the Chicago Fire, theArena Football League 'sChicago Rush , local and national collegiate sports, including those fromFSN Detroit . The network was co-owned by Cablevision andNews Corporation until 2005 when Cablevision bought 100% of the network. FSN Chicago was the production and origination point of the "Chicago Sports Report", "Ohio Sports Report", and "Bay Area Sports Report" programs (all 50% owned by Rainbow Sports/Cablevision).Early History
The network began in April 1982 as
Sportsvision , a joint venture between then-new ownerChicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, his fellow White Sox co-owner, television sports producer and promoterEddie Einhorn , andFred Eyechaner , then-owner of local UHF stationWPWR (then on Channel 60, now Channel 50). Since the city of Chicago was not yet fully equipped for cable television (one of the last major cities to do so), Sportsvision was initially an over-the-air subscription service, broadcasting over WPWR during nights and weekends. Viewers had to purchase a set-top converter and pay a monthly fee to view the telecasts, which included Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox games, plus college sports of local interest. At this point, the Bulls and White Sox continued to broadcast a number of over-the-air games, while the Blackhawks moved all of their broadcasts to Sportsvision, after many years broadcasting overWSNS (Channel 44).The decision of moving most of the White Sox broadcasts to pay television led to longtime announcer
Harry Caray to become the play-by-play voice of the rival Cubs, due to the limited expourse that the White Sox would get in having the majority of games being seen in fewer homes. Chicago was (and still to this day) one of the very few television markets in the country where a very large percentage of the home baseball teams' games were available over-the-air. Until the mid-1990s, the Cubs still televised all of their non-national (ABC,NBC , and laterCBS ) games overWGN-TV and a regional network of stations throughout parts of the Midwest.However, by January 1984, the WPWR-Sportsvision partnership became unsuccessful, and as a result, the channel was sold to New York-based cable operator Cablevision Systems Corporation. The channel later became a basic service, and in 1989, the channel became SportsChannel Chicago. In 1997, the network became an affiliate of
Fox Sports Net .Loss of broadcast rights
In October 2004, FSN Chicago lost broadcast rights to all of the professional sports teams in the Chicago area when the owners of the Bulls, the White Sox, the Blackhawks, and the Cubs decided to end their agreement with the network and partnered with
Comcast to form Comcast SportsNet Chicago. This lead to a number of cable/satellite providers dropping the network. With the end of local pro sports coverage, FSN Chicago became mostly a feeder channel of the national network's entire schedule, some minor local andsemi-professional teams,Midwest ernoutdoors programs, and sports rights and games from other college conferences of little interest to Chicago area viewers. In 2005, Cablevision bought all of FSN Chicago when NewsCorp swapped assets with the cable company.Collapse
The network ceased operations on
June 23 , 2006, andComcast SportsNet Chicago now occupies the former FSN Chicago facility located at 350 North Orleans Street. They have also acquired the rights to air the nationally-distributed FSN programs. The old "Chicago Sports Report" set was purchased (and is now used as the main news set) byNBC affiliateWREX-TV inRockford, Illinois . The building itself is the current home of the "Chicago Sun-Times ".External Link
* [http://www.whitesoxinteractive.com/rwas/index.php?id=2096&category=2 White Sox Interactive: SportsVision -- The Legacy?]
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